New Faculty General Research Fund

Research is a highly valued component of the mission of the University of Kansas. The Office of Research endeavors to assist KU-Lawrence and Edwards campus faculty in their efforts to secure funding for their individual or group research programs. The New Faculty General Research Fund (NFGRF) program is designed to help new tenure-track faculty members accelerate their individual scholarship and assist in building a sustainable research program. It is our hope that new faculty members will view this program as an excellent opportunity to jump-start their research efforts soon after their arrival on campus.

Full details of the NFGRF program are outlined below. A crucial aspect to the success of this program is mentoring. New faculty members who receive funding from this program should work with their department chair or dean to select a faculty mentor. Mentors will guide new faculty members in developing their research program and assist in planning and preparing their proposal. Ideally, mentors will be members of the faculty in a related research area with experience and success in obtaining external funding and support.

Awards are managed by KU Research. The NFGRF program is a State of Kansas-funded award, rather than a corporate/federal grant and, as such, expenditures must follow state guidelines. Funds may be used for supplies, equipment, travel, summer salary and fringe benefits for the faculty member, and salary for graduate and undergraduate student assistants. It is not necessary or appropriate to routinely apply for the maximum award size; make a case for what you need. Expenditures must comply with university and state rules and procedures.

Forms and Information

Application Deadline

Eligible applicants have two years from the date their appointment begins to apply to the NFGRF.

Please note that if your proposal includes summer salary, the following deadlines apply:

April 19, 2019
Deadline for all summer teaching appointments (May 17-Aug. 17) and for all other summer pay activities to be paid May 17-June 29 to be entered into SPC by units.

May 10, 2019
Deadline for units to have all summer pay transactions to SSC for effective dates June 30-Aug. 17.

Submissions

Completed application materials may be sent in electronic form to nfgrf@ku.edu. If you feel that there is a barrier to submitting a proposal, please contact the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at nfgrf@ku.edu or 785-864-3567. The NFGRF exists for your benefit, and it is hoped that all new faculty choose to participate.

Awardee Obligations

New faculty who receive an award must spend the funds within 24 months of award notification. Any funds not spent during the fiscal year when awarded will require a request for carry-forward to be submitted to the Office of Research. At the end of the award period, the faculty member must submit a report to the KUCR describing implementation of the project and the influence it had on his/her research program. Faculty members who choose Option 2 should include with their final report a copy of the application for external support that was developed from the NFGRF award.

Eligibility

To be eligible, individuals must be in their first 24 months as a tenure-track faculty member on the Lawrence or Edwards campus, untenured, and have completed the terminal degree in their field. Requests for exceptions to these requirements should be submitted in writing by the faculty member's dean or department chair. NOTE: Eligible faculty can only receive the NFGRF award once.

Qualifications and Procedures

Option 1

Support of scholarship, creative activity, and research.

Maximum award size: $3,000.

This option is designed to begin building a new faculty member's sustainable program of scholarship, creative activity, and/or research. The proposal may indicate a specific external funding opportunity or possible sponsors in the future.

Application procedures

The faculty member will send to KU Research a completed NFGRF application containing one copy of the following (please use application template):

Half-page abstract of the project that will be completed with the NFGRF award and how these funds will be used to build a program of scholarship and research. If appropriate, indicate how external funds will be leveraged with this award.

Budget page detailing proposed expenditures for the NFGRF award. Spending may be split over two fiscal years.

One-page description of the background and methods (research plan) to be followed in the project proposed for the NFGRF award.

Compliance form and necessary approvals.

Curriculum vitae for the principal investigator and faculty mentor.

Letter of support from applicant's faculty mentor outlining his/her commitment to and endorsement of the applicant's project and research goals.

Copy of proposals already submitted or discussion of the prospects and potential sponsors for external funding.

Option 2

Seed funding for major external funding opportunities.

Maximum award size: $8,000.

A goal of the University of Kansas is to significantly increase the volume of external funding. To this end, new faculty may apply for increased funding as part of the NFGRF program if an opportunity to win a significant grant or award exists as a result of the proposed NFGRF award. More competitive than Option 1, this option is also focused on assisting faculty in their efforts to build a sustainable research program. Matching funds from the applicant's department, school/college or research center will make a stronger case for a seed funding award, provided such matching funds have not already been promised as part of a startup package, proposal matching, or the like.

Application procedures

The faculty member will send to KU Research a completed NFGRF application containing one copy of the following (please use application template):

Half-page abstract of the project that will be completed with the NFGRF award and how these funds will be used as leverage for external research funding.

Budget page detailing proposed expenditures for the NFGRF award. Spending may be split over two fiscal years.

Description of your plan to build your research program and how this award will be used to secure external research funding for your work. The focus should be on your overall research plan and the leveraging of external funding with only a brief explanation of the details of your research. This description may be up to five pages in length.

Compliance form and necessary approvals.

Curriculum vitae for the principal investigator and faculty mentor.

Letter of support from applicant's faculty mentor outlining his/her commitment to and endorsement of the applicant's project and research goals.

Copy of proposals already submitted or discussion of the prospects and potential sponsors for external funding.

Faculty members who choose Option 2 should include with their final report a copy of the application for external support that was developed from the NFGRF award.